Side-door construction



March 5, 1929. K. J. Tol-31N ET AL S IDE DOORk CONSTRUCTION Filed Deo. ll, 19 5 Patented ara 5, i929.

yUNHTED STATES PATENT orifice.

KENNETH J. TOBIN AND WILLIAM W. DARROW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS T0 CAMEL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SIDE-DOOR CONSTRUCTION.

.Applicationled December` 11,` 1925. Serial No. 74,765.-

The present invention relates to freight car construction.

More particularly the present invention relates tov freight cars designed for receiving relatively bulky lading, such, for example, as automobiles. In order to provide for the entry and removal of such bulky lading a construction of freight car has been provided having on each side a main door and an auxiliary door, said doors cooperating with a movable jamb. Said movable jamb may `be united to said auxiliary door to` move as a unit therewith, or, if preferred, may be sepa-- rable from said auxiliary door. Said movable jamb should be of sturdy. construction,-

should have convenient means for locking same 1n fixed position, and should provlde. a convenient structure for the insertion of a wood filler or. nailing strip for coopering f ice, but, in so far as applicants are informed,

such freight cars as heretofore known and used have ,not provided sufficient space for the insertion and removal of, the larger types of automobiles. Automobiles are entered diagonally, that is-in angular relationship withV both the longitudinal and transverse axes of the car, but even when great care is. used difficulty has been encountered heretofore in handling relatively large automobiles".

An object of the present invention isto provide a freight car of the type referred to which will permit the entry and removal of relatively large automobiles without sacrificing any of the strength heretofore' provided and Without departing from standard practice in the Width of door opening. l

A further object is to provide an improved j amb construction which, Without sacrificing strength, Will leave a larger space for the diagonal insertion and removal of an automobile or other bulky article.

A further object is to provide an improved freight car construction whichl presents improvements over prior construction relating to protection againstthieving, simplicity in assembling and assurance against diii'iculties due to warping in service.

tion proceeds.

Referring to the drawings Figure il is a horizontal sectional view of a part of a freight car embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 isa view in elevation taken from a point -inside the car, said View beingtaken at the lower extremity of the movable jamb Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a view taken at the upper portion of the movable jamb and certain adjacent parts, only suicient of the adjacent parts being shown to illustrate the functions of various parts of said jamb.

`x'lhe numeral 1 indicates the main side door of one side of a railway freight car. Said main door 1 cooperates at its left-hand side edge, as the parts are viewed in Figure l, with the auxiliary door 2, .said auxiliary doors lying in substantially the same plane as said main door. ASecured to the auxiliary door 2 adjacent to its right-hand edge, as the parts are viewed in Figure l, is the jamb which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 3. AS noted a'bove, said jamb 3 may be permanently secured` to the auxiliary door 2 or may be separable therefrom, though in the preferred Figure 4 is a view of the movable jamb With construction said jamb is rigidly secured to said auxiliary door 2.

It has heretofore been proposed to use -rolled or pressed U-shapes and other shapes `1n the construction of the jamb 3, but in so far as applicants are informed said shapes have presented a rigid edge portion. inwardly of the car in the direction of the door opening controlled by the main door l. The

present invention contemplates a construction using a structural steel shape, but presented in a different manner from what has been Aheretofore known. According to the al 5, disposed transversely of the car and the vih other of its flanges, indicated kby the numeral 6, disposed longitudinally of the car in the direction toward the door opening controlled by the main door. Said flange 6 is bent inwardly of the car a small amount for door guiding purposes, as will appear hereinafter. Mounted within the re-entrant angle of said angle 4 is the wood filler post 7, which constitutes a nailing strip for coopering purposes, as is well understood by those skilled in the art. rll`he wood filler post, of course, does not contribute materially toward the strength of the jamb, and for that reason no car strength is sacrificed if part of said filler post is removed to permit the passage of a bulky article. According to the present invention, said filler post 7. is beveled off at one of its vertical edges, that is-the edge presented inwardly of the car and toward thev door opening controlled by the main door 1.

rlhe beveled oli' surface of the Wood filler 7 is indicated by the numeral 8 and may, il?V preferred, extend onl through a sulicient part of the height o' the wood filler 7 to clear the fenders and hub caps of an automobile when said automobile is presented in the diagonal manner referred to above.

The cooperating edges of the main door 1 and auxiliary door 2 may be provided with the cooperating Z-bars 9 and l0, respectively. The outer flange 11 of the Z`bar 10 is llared outwardly as shown in Figure 1, whereby the main door 1, regardless of any warping which may occur in service, will be piloted into proper relationship with the auxiliary door 2 and the doom] amb 3 by reason of the flaring jaws 6 and 11. Bolts 12-12 may be provided for holding the auxiliary door 2, Z-bar 10, angle member 4.- and iiller post 7 in rigid relationship With one another. Preferably, said bolts 12-12 should have rounded heads, as indicated bythe numeral 13, whereby it will be impossible for a thief to loosen said bolts.

r1`he movable jamb 3 may be guided at both said j amb only at the top, or only at the bottom, such a change will not depart from the present invention.

1n order to latch the movable jamb 3 at the top, said jamb is provided with the pivoted latch member 14 adapted to have cooperative relationship with the keeper member 15, which may be riveted to the superstructure the car.. ln order to latch the movable jamb 3 at its lower portion, a pivoted latch 16 may be provi-ded for cooperation withthe keeper member .17, which should be riveted to the structure of the car.

In certain freight cars having movable jambs as heretofore provided the keeper member at the bottom ofsaid movable jamb has been bolted in place, said bolts being readily accessible from underneath the box portion of thevcar. 1t is a relatively simple matter for thieves to remove one of said bolts adjacent to the latch member at the lower end of the movable jamb, and, by inserting a relatively long and slender' member through the hole left by said bolt, to operate the locking mechanism of the jamb and effect entry to the car. The present invention contemplates a riveted structure, rivets 18-18 being provided for securing the keeper member 17 in place and for effectually baffling thieves attempting to effect entrance in the manner above referred to. The upper keeper member 15 is also riveted to the structure of the car structure to prevent tampering from the top of the car. y

According to the structure illustrated, an operating rod 19 is provided in cooperating relationship with both the latch member 14 at the upper end of the jamb and the latch member 16 at the lower end of the jamb. Said rod 19 is provided-with eye portions for enclosing portions of said latch members 14 and 16, and the weight of said rod 19 serves to bias said latch member to latching relationship with the keeper members 15 and 17. When said rod 19 is lifted, said rod will cooperate both with the latch members 14 and 16 to move same out of latehing relationship with the keeper members 15 and 17. 1t has been proposed heretofore to provide a unitary control for latching members at the top and'bottom of a post, but prior constructions have involved at flat strap for the rod 19. lit has beeny proposed heretofore to provide an odset handlei portion such as the oliset portion 20 in the operating member 19, but dificulty has been encountered in shipping such operating members (prior to the time that said operating members have been installed in the car) due to the :tact that said operating members tend to lengthen; or, expressed in other language, the odset portion 2O has tended -to straighten out, the net effect being to increase the length or the operating member 19, requiring certain adjustment on the part of the artisan installing said operating member. r1he present invention cy ntemplates the provision of a round bar. Considering equal cross sections of metal, the stiffness of the round bar is greater than is the stiffness of a flat bar, and the tendency to lengthen out at the olset handle section 20 is reduced.

As will be noted from an inspection of Figures 1 and 4, the operating bar 19 ils disll posed along the flange of the angle member 4, being held in cooperative relationship with said flange 5 by means of the straps 21-21. Said straps have portions extending along the sides of the auxiliary door 2 and bolted to said yauxiliary door by means of bolts 22-22. Bolts 23 may be provided for holding the straps 21, the filler post 7 and the angle member 4 in rigid relationship with one another. It" preferred, rivets 24 may also be provided for holding the straps 21 in position on the angle member 4.

By reason of the fact that the operating rod 19 according to the resent invention is round in cross section, tie matter of shaping the straps 21-21 to conform thereto is simplified. Moreover, due to the rounded construction ofthe straps 21 at the region Where theyhouse the bar 19, more room is provided for operating the nuts on the bolts 23. It will be noted thatI the operating bar 19 has a metal bearing, so that'no dilliculties are encountered due to warping of the wood filler post.

The present invention presents the advantage that the filler post may be replaced without disassembling the angle member 4 from the parts to which it is attached. By merely removinfr the nuts from the bolts 23 and 13, it is a simple matter to remove a filler post and insert a new one. Inasmuch as said filler posts are subjected to rough usage in Service, the advantage of ready removal and replacement of said filler post is a decided advantage from a practical standpoint.

Tlipugh a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail., many modifications will appear to those skilled in the art. It is intended' to cover all such modilications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is- 1. ln a freight car, a main door, an auxiliary door, a movable door jamb cooperatively associated with said auxiliary door, top and bottom keeper members for said jamb, said door jamb comprising an angular member having a Wall disposed transversely 'fof the car` and a second wall disposed longitudi- `nally of said car and extending toward the door opening controlled b said main door, said latter mentioned wal being bent 1nwardly of said car to provide guide means for lsaid main door,and a filler post in the angle between said walls, said keepermembers and said iller post being disposed in substantial alignment when said jamb 1s 1n hom(` position.

2.' ln a freight car, a main door, an auxiliary door, a movable door jamb cooperatwely associated with said auxiliary door, said door jamb comprising an angular member having a' wall disposed transversely of the car and a second wall disposed longitudinally of said car and extending toward the door opening controlled by said main door, said angular member having mounted in the angle formed by said walls a'wood filler post, said second mentioned wall being bent inwardly of said car to provide guide means for said main door.

3. Freight car construction comprising in combination, a main door, a door. jamb comprising an angular member having one wall disposed transversely of the car and another wall disposed longitudinally of said car and extending toward the openlhg controlled/by said door, a structural shape rigidly mounted relative to said jamb, said latter mentioned wall and a flange of said structural shape being ared to produce piloting means for said door.

4. Freight car construction comprising, in combination, a main door, a door jamb comprising an angular member having` one wall disposed transversely of the car and another wall disposed longitudinall of said car and extending toward the opening controlled by said door, a structural shape rigidly mounted relative to said jamb, said latter mentioned wall and a flange of said structural shape being flared to produce piloting means for said door, said angular member having Ya filler post disposed in the angle formed by said walls.

5. Freight car construction comprising, in combination, a movable door jamb, latcbing mechanism disposed at the upper and lower ends of said jamb for latching same in fixed position relative to the remainder of said car construction, said jamb vcomprising a structural steel member, a door having sliding movements relative to said jamb, said structural steel member having a reentrant angle presented inwardly of .said car construction and toward the opening controlled by said door, a unitary latch operating member mounted upon said structural steel member and braces for guiding said operating'mem ber, said reentrant angle being free ot obstructions inwardly of the car transversely thereof and longitudinally of the car toward said door opening.

6. Freightcar construction comprising, in combination, a movable door jamb, latching mechanism disposed at the upper and lower ends otsaid jamb for latching same in fixed position relative to the remainder of said car construction, said jamb comprising a structural steel member` a door having sliding` relationship relative to said jamb, said structural steel member having a rcentrant angle presented inwardly of said car construction and toward the opening controlled by said door, a unitary latch operating member mounted upon said structural steel member, and braces tor guiding said operating member, said operating member constituting a round bar, said reentrant angle being free of obstructions inwardly of the car transversely llll thereof and longitudinally of the car toward said door opening.

7. ln a freight car, a main door, an auxiliaiy door, a movable door jamb cooperatively associated with said auxiliary door, keeper means for said jamb, said door jamb comprising an 'angular member having a wall disposed transversely of the car and a second wall disposed longitudinally of said car and extending toward the door opening controlled by said main door, said. angular member having mounted in the angle formed by said walls a wood filler post, said filler post having a portion of its exposed corner cut away to provide clearance, said filler post being disposed in vertical alignment with said keeper means when said j amb is in home position.

8. Freight car construction comprising, in combination, a door jamb comprising an angular member having one wall disposed transversely of the car and another Wall disposed longitudinally of said car and extending toward the opening controlled by said door, a structural shape rigidly mounted relative to said jamb, said latter mentioned wall and a wall of said structural shape being flared to produce piloting means for said door, said angle member having a filler post disposed in the angle formed by said walls, said filler post having a portion of its exposed corner cut away to provide clearance.

9. Freight car construction, comprising, in combination, a sliding door, a door jamb, said door jamb comprising an angular member having a wall disposed transversely of the car and a wall disposed in the direction of the `door opening controlled by said door, and a filler post in the reentrant angle between said walls, said angular member being free of obstructions to said reentrant angle -in a direction inwardly of the car transversely thereof and longitudinally of the car in the direction of said door opening.

10. Freight car construction, comprising, in combination, a main door, an auxiliary door, a door jamb mounted on said auxiliary door, and a filler post, said door jamb comprising an angular member having a wall arranged transversely of the car and a Wall disposed in the direction of the door opening controlled by said door, said angular member presenting an entrance for the post, said entrance being free of obstructions inwardly of the car transversely thereof and of the door opening controlled by said door,

said angular member being free of obstructions to the .reentrant angle between said walls inwardly of the car transversely thereof and longitudinally of said carin the direction of the door opening controlled bysaid slidingdoor. i

12. Freight car construction comprisino, in combination, a main door, an auxiliary door, a door jamb mounted on said auxiliary door in a position to co-operate with said main door; said door jamb including an angular member having a wall arranged transversely of the car and a Wall disposed in the direction of the door opening controlled by said door, said angular member presenting an angular entrance for a filler post, said angular member being free of obstructions beyond a vertical plane including the edge of said second Wall presented toward said door-opening, which plane is disposed diagonally of said door 'opening and inclined toward said first mentioned wall-inwardly of said car from said edge.

13. Freight car construction comprising, in combination, a main door, an auxiliary door, a door jamb mounted on said auxiliary door in a position to cooperate with said main door, said door jamb including a metallic structure, having one portion including a wall disposed transversely of the car and a second portion extending from said Wall in Athe direction of the door opening controlled by said main door, said wall and said second portion providing a corner for receiving a filler post, said portions having free vertical edges disposed in a vertical plane lying diagonally of said door opening and inclined toward the plane of said wall inwardl1y ofsaid car, said vertical plane comprising the boundary of said metallic structure transversely of said car and in' the direction of said door opening.

Signed at Chicago, llllinois, this 7th day of December, 1925.

KENNETH J. TOBIN.

WILLIAM W. DARROW. 

